Tag Archives: Computer Science

Helping people do good work better

On his Messiah College application in the early ‘80s, LeVon Smoker checked computer science as his major (with a pen—the online application being years in the future) “on a whim,” he recalls. “Computers were new, I thought it would be fun, and not a lot of people would be doing it.” Since his graduation in ...More

Falling backwards into God’s calling

Dan Shenk-Evans ’92 characterizes his career in technology as “falling backwards” into God’s calling. For years, every position he sought in direct social ministry eventually led him reluctantly to a computer, where he would quickly solve IT problems and streamline organizational workflow. “I wasn’t sure I would find meaningful work in computer science. I thought ...More

Teaching how to sell

If you’re a real estate agent in 2014, having a website isn’t an option. It’s a must. That can be challenging, though, because you may well be about 56 years old – the average real estate agent’s age in 2014 – and you’ve probably been in the business since long before “website” was a part ...More

One of 8 doing I.T. at Ten Thousand Villages

Each holiday, Rick Rutt ’84 and his family add an ornament from Ten Thousand Villages to their Christmas tree. This year, 14 ornaments from different countries hang from its branches, a sign of Rutt’s commitment to the business and its values. When Rutt purchases gifts for himself and his family, he has a special affinity ...More

I.T. entrepreneurs

Starting in refugee camps Philip Borkholder’s ’89 journey to information technology began by majoring in fields that had little to do with computer science: biology and international agricultural development. This led to a five-year stint with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) shortly after graduation in 1989. Borkholder spent one year in Honduras and four in El ...More

A little bit of everything in schools’ I.T.

If a computer glitch threatens to derail something like a state-required proficiency test at Harrisonburg (Virginia) High School, Craig Shoemaker’s phone is bound to start ringing. “[Teachers] get anxious,” he said, chuckling. “I’m the one they try to get a hold of.” A computer resource technician with Harrisonburg City Public Schools, Shoemaker (’78) likens his ...More

Weikle: Electrial engineering to computer science pioneer

In the male-dominated field of computer science, Dee Weikle is used to being in the minority. The associate professor of computer science at EMU can name all of her female students majoring in the field on the fingers of one hand. One of those students, among the approximately 18 percent of women who will earn ...More